What Hurts the Most
by StarPurpleandBlue
Summary: It happens in Chapter 49. What would have happened if Shito hadn't appeared in the room at that moment? What if Michiru had let Chika stay there? And what if he had something else to say...? One-shot! MichiruXChika


_**A/N:**_ Hello to everyone who is reading this! I was rereading some chapters of Zombie-Loan when this idea came into my head. This story happens in Chapter 49 of the manga, just after they return to their dormitories. This is my idea of something that might have passed in Chika's mind and what could have happened with a few minor twists here and there :D I started writing following Chika's thoughts but then I mixed his and Michiru's later on (just clarifying for anyone that may get confused with the exchange that I'll suddenly do with the thoughts).

I apologize if you think that the characters are acting too OOC. I'm still not very accustomed with the ways of thinking and acting of some characters, especially Chika's, something that was difficult for me while I was writing. Nevertheless, don't forget that Chika isn't feeling exactly like himself here, so obviously he wouldn't act entirely as him, right? ;)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! And if you can, please review so I can know what you think of the story!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own the characters of Zombie-Loan. If I owned them then Michiru would have ended with Chika and the end of the manga would have been different. Seriously, how could the manga end up like that? It is basically asking for a continuation! Oh, well...

* * *

Chika was restless. Lying in his bed, he couldn't calm down his thoughts. They had finally managed to get out of that crazy dimension after days, but he couldn't get himself to relax. Something was still bothering him.

Images of Yuuta healing everyone's wounds went back to his mind. The images kept going until they focused on Yuuta healing the arm of a girl of his age with purple hair and glasses, making him grimace and sit again on his bed. The image centered at the bruise on her arm.

Why hadn't he been more careful? Perhaps if he had accepted something to eat at that time then Gopher wouldn't have gotten hurt and they wouldn't have had that big problem to get him back to normal...

Chika grunted. Those thoughts were tormenting him since everything had calmed down and he had time to think about everything that had happened. Only then did he finally realize what he had done with Michiru. Much of what happened after he had left the room where they were eating was a big blur. He remember having begun to walk through the halls and start seeing everything blurry. He remember sitting on the floor and seeing Gopher coming. He remember he was hungry...

Chika shook his head frustrated. It was no use. Even if he tried he couldn't remember anything else. A mixture of hunger with his old memories and his zombie instincts starting to appear made any of his rational sense disappear at the time. Chika closed his fist. The image of the wound returned to his mind. Of all the people who could have been there, why did it have to have been Gopher? Just the only one there who wasn't a zombie? Why her?

The idea that he might have even tried to eat her and ended up hurting her really disturbed him. That was bothering him more than he thought it was possible. Yet he knew there was no point in blaming himself. Knowing Gopher she most likely wasn't blaming him for it. Sighing, Chika looked at the window absently. Gopher was too generous with the others around her.

A sudden feeling made him stop and look at the object he was holding. A 500 yen coin. He almost wanted to snort at the irony of the situation. Closing his fist with the coin inside, he finally rose from his bed. He had to go see Gopher. Maybe then he could calm this strange feeling with his restlessness. Yeah... Who knows...?

* * *

Walking slowly through the halls of the dormitory, Chika began to reconsider his idea. Perhaps Gopher was really upset with him and didn't want to even look at him! Although she had gone through all that just to save him... But still!

Fiddling nervously the coin with his right hand in his pocket, he suddenly found himself in front of the door of said girl's bedroom.

He stood in front of the door for a few seconds before shaking his head angrily and approaching it. _Damn it, Chika! What is your problem? You just have to knock on the door and talk to her! Nothing more! It's not like you've never done it! You had this idea, now continue with it! It's just a thank you!_ He mentally scolded himself before controlling the expression on his face in a more calm one and finally knocking. He had decided to do that, now he had to continue with it. He just needed to control himself. Gopher didn't have to know everything that was going on in his head, right?

He heard a surprised scream coming from inside the room before a girl with glasses opened the door.

"Hi!" He said in a calm tone as he looked at the girl's surprised expression.

"Chika's here too? How? What now?" She mumbled confused and somewhat exasperated, but with a small smile. It wasn't uncommon to see Chika appearing in her bedroom. Her original plan had been staying in her bed and resting a bit, but seeing that Koyomi was completely asleep in her bed and now Chika was also there, she was already seeing that her plan wasn't going to work. Nevertheless, it didn't bother her that much. She actually enjoyed Chika's company.

"Nothing much~" The white haired boy replied. "I guess I'm just passing by..."

Michiru saw Chika's calm expression slowly start to fade and a more nervous aura surround him. "Hmm... um... "

"Chika, you're drunk too?" She asked looking confused.

"... Hand..." She heard him murmur.

"Huh?" She said even more confused. "Hand...?"

She suddenly felt her hand being held by the surprisingly light and gentle touch of Chika's hand. Michiru looked surprised at his hand and felt her heart start beating a little faster. She turned her astonished gaze to the boy in front of her and realized that he was staring at the floor while his face had acquired a slight reddish tint.

"Chi... Chika?" She murmured even more confused. What was he doing?

"This... This is... A special..." The boy started saying again. Michiru felt her own face begin to heat up as she looked Chika fight with his words. "Huh... It's for you. Gopher fee." He finished while releasing her hand.

Michiru looked surprised the object in her hand. "500 yen...?"

"Like I said! That's it." Chika said avoiding her eyes and looking even redder. "Y-you came looking for me. Even in that weird place. So... So it's..."

Michiru suddenly found herself looking into a serious pair of golden eyes. "It's a tip for being a model Gopher." Even with his red face Chika managed to seriously look at the girl in front of him. "I owe you one, okay!"

Michiru unconsciously closed her hand around the coin while Chika continued to speak. "Starting today, you're promoted to Golden Gopher!"

Michiru looked at him for a second before she started laughing.

The reaction was immediate. "What? W-what are you laughing at, G-Golden Gopher!" Chika said, feeling quite embarrassed.

"You... you said it with such an air of importance..." Michiru managed to say as she rubbed her eye to remove the tears that formed there because she laughed so much. "It was funny..."

"It's not the least bit funny!"

"Yes it is."

"Whatever, I just gave you 500 yen, that's all." He said still somewhat embarrassed by her reaction. Nevertheless, he was glad that her reaction was that and not send him away.

Then he saw Michiru smiling happily while she held the hand that was holding the coin with her other hand. "Thank you. I'll accept it. "

Wit this an idea formed in his head. "You said you'll accept it?" He asked with a smile beginning to form on his face.

"Eh?"

"You said you'll accept! That's great!" He said grinning and holding up a fist in a sign of victory. "So tonight, I'll sleep in your room!" And with that he entered in her room.

"Whaaat?" Michiru cried surprised while getting out of the way to avoid being hit by Chika getting in her room. "But why? You said it was a gopher tip!"

"Because you accepted the rent of course!" He replied in the same bright tone before turning to her and looking at her with a sweet expression that remembered Michiru of a cute little puppy. "Aw, isn't it okay...?"

_That look..._ Michiru thought paralyzed. _He wouldn't... Here it comes again!_

"What? The shinigami can but I can't?" Chika said with that same look. "At this time shouldn't you hold me gently?"

"What! But your sizes are completely different!" She said trying to resist that look.

"Hmm?"

"And... And..." Michiru looked again at Chika before sighing. She hadn't resisted. "Okay, okay. You can sleep here. "

"Yaay!" Chika said cheerfully before embracing Michiru. Once he did so he immediately froze and his eyes widened at the same time he felt his calmness quickly disappear. Now what had he done?

Michiru first stiffened with surprise at his embrace - something that she certainly wasn't expecting - but then she felt Chika's warmth involve her and she slowly relaxed into his arms resting her head on his chest while her face gained again that reddish tint. _Chika..._

Chika could almost breathe in relief. When Michiru hadn't pushed him away he had felt extremely relieved and all the tension and uncertainty that Gopher wouldn't want to get closer to him (much less have physical contact) was gone. Then a new feeling came over to him and he squeezed her tightly in his arms. The sweet scent of her shampoo entered in his nose, but this time he didn't react like in the school. The very idea of losing the girl he was holding in his arms was too much for him, especially if he was the cause of it. His grip tightened a little more as if he had to make sure she was really there. Alive. That he hadn't...

Michiru looked up surprised as Chika hid his face in her hair. She could feel his arms tremble slightly as he held her. "C-Chika?" She asked softly.

"Sorry, sorry..." Michiru heard Chika murmuring softly through her hair. "Please... don't leave... me..."

"Chika?" Michiru repeated, this time a little louder, concerned. What was he talking about?

"Please... I don't want to... lose you... like... her..." The boy kept whispering seeming almost in a daze.

Michiru's eyes widened while something in her mind made a 'click'. _Her... He is talking about his mother... isn't he? He's talking about everything that happened in that other dimension..._ Michiru thought as she finally understood what it all was about.

Immediately Michiru's arms moved and she hugged him back. "Don't worry, I won't leave you. I'm not going anywhere."

They stood like this for some time, just enjoying the comfort and warmth that they gave each other. "Thank you... Michiru..." Chika muttered after some time.

Michiru was surprised for a moment to be listening the white-haired boy call her by her name instead of 'Gopher' or some other nickname he had chosen for her. This wasn't something that happened every day. She smiled slightly before turning her face up and meeting his eyes.

They stayed like this for a few seconds before Chika, on impulse, ended with the small space between them and captured her lips with his. Michiru was caught by surprise again, but her body soon began to move and she started to correspond the kiss. Chika moved one of his hands to her face to deepen the kiss and the two remained that way until they had to break the kiss to catch air again.

The two stared at each other panting lightly with the same emotion going through their eyes. Chika stroked her cheek lightly with his hand, in an unusual gesture of kindness. Then a thought crossed his mind.

"What about Sotetsu?"

Michiru blinked confused for a moment before realizing where he was getting at. "Oh..." She smiled. "We broke up a few days ago, just before we got stuck in our school."

Now it was time for Chika to blink confused. He then laughed as he shook his head, muttering something like 'oh, I should have imagined.' He and Michiru turned to look at each other before kissing again. Chika then realized that this strange feeling was clearer than ever. Now that he felt relieved for not being hated by Gopher and had taken a weight off of his back, he finally managed to confirm his suspicions of what it was. Strange as it seemed to him, it was true. In the end he was really in love with Michiru.

Unknown to the two teenagers in the middle of the room, Koyomi was spying on them from the bed with her eyes half open so that no one would realize that she was awake. Holding a laugh, she slowly closed her eyes and as quietly as possible, turned to the other side of the bed. For now she would give the two some privacy, but she couldn't wait to tell others about the newest couple that had been formed.


End file.
